ABC is set to give "Scrubs" the kind of heavy network backing that its developer says was lacking during the show's seven years on NBC.
The production of the comedy will receive a HD (high-definition) upgrade for the premiere of its eighth-season on ABC, and the network has enabled six two- to four-minute episodes posted on the website in order to give the show extra promotional advantage.
"It was a pleasant surprise to have people from the network visit the set, because nobody has done that in six or seven years," said show creator Bill Lawrence at the Television Critics Assn. press tour, on Wednesday. "I don't think that's NBC dropping the ball; I think it's the difference of doing a show for a network that also produces you," he added.
Although some have their suspicions that it will be the final season of the show and that star Zach Braff is likely searching for an exit, as he said, now ABC produced "Scrubs" is set to premiere midseason.
"My sense is this is my last year," Braff said.
Still Lawrence and Steve McPherson, the ABC Entertainment president, hinted new cast members might represent the solution for keeping the comedy going, somewhat in the a similar manner to NBC's revolving-door medical drama "ER."
"We do think that it will not hopefully be a one-season situation," said McPherson. "We do think there's an opportunity after that -- talking to Zach, talking to Bill -- and whether all of the cast is a part of that, I still think there's a great amount of growth there," he concluded.
"McPherson was supportive of the idea that it's like 'ER' as a comedy.
We brought in some younger people into the show,"
Moreover,
"We just have to change some pop culture references," he said. "When you hear the janitor's name, the show's over."